Australia General Discussion

[Platypus]

Basically, I miss Kim Beazley.

[Smid]

Laurie Oakes presents: Simon Crean as compromise candidate.

[RogueBeaver]

A failed leader as a compromise between two failed leaders? That would almost as much an epic failure as replacing Gillard with Rudd.

[Vote UKIP!]

Can Labor hold on at this point?

[Secretary Polnut]

Laurie Oakes presents: Simon Crean as compromise candidate.

Crean would just be put up as a sacrificial lamb.

Can Labor hold on at this point?

I still argue the condition is not terminal. It's getting extremely close to it, but there's perhaps 18 months before the next election.

[asexual trans victimologist]

Catapulting someone into the Prime Ministry as a 'sacrificial lamb' strikes me as an absolutely terrible idea on pretty much every level.

[Smid]

but there's perhaps 18 months before the next election.

According to Antony Green, the earliest date for an ordinary full house and half senate non-DD election is August next year.

What Crean lacks in charisma he makes up for in gravitas and seriousness (a bit like Howard, really).

[Vote UKIP!]

Catapulting someone into the Prime Ministry as a 'sacrificial lamb' strikes me as an absolutely terrible idea on pretty much every level.

I concur.

Could anyone explain this to me:

The Liberals are howling over the proposed carbon tax which Gillard apparently promised would not happen
 What would have pushed Gillard into supporting the tax now.

Also, isn't there a sitcom satirising here relationship with here significant other?

[Smid]

Also, isn't there a sitcom satirising here relationship with here significant other?

The sitcom was decidedly unfunny. The only thing going for it was the lead character's close resemblance to the Prime Minister - she'd previously done skits impersonating the PM on other shows which were shorter... the humour just couldn't last the distance of a full show dedicated to pretty much the one joke. The first episode wasn't horrendous, the portrayal of the independents were pretty good.

The Hollowmen was a far superior production by the ABC.

[Secretary Polnut]

Also, isn't there a sitcom satirising here relationship with here significant other?

The sitcom was decidedly unfunny. The only thing going for it was the lead character's close resemblance to the Prime Minister - she'd previously done skits impersonating the PM on other shows which were shorter... the humour just couldn't last the distance of a full show dedicated to pretty much the one joke. The first episode wasn't horrendous, the portrayal of the independents were pretty good.

The Hollowmen was a far superior production by the ABC.

I didn't hate At Home With Julia... if I'm honest. I was expecting an utter train-wreck, so my expectations were very low.

The Hollowmen is AWESOME!

Catapulting someone into the Prime Ministry as a 'sacrificial lamb' strikes me as an absolutely terrible idea on pretty much every level.

I concur.

Could anyone explain this to me:

The Liberals are howling over the proposed carbon tax which Gillard apparently promised would not happen
 What would have pushed Gillard into supporting the tax now.

This is a trap that Gillard laid for herself.

She had a policy that would lead to and emissions trading scheme, but she was STUPID in the extreme to make a declarative statement during an election campaign.

I personally don't believe she was lying, when she said "there will be no carbon tax under any Government I lead"... I think she meant it. However, the consequences of minority government forced her hand to make a deal to put A price on carbon. My gut is she was told the ETS conversion would be too complex, having a carbon price in place before a full ETS would get the support of both the Greens and the Independents.

.... it should also be noted that Tony Abbott supported a carbon tax in 2009 as an alternative the Rudd CPRS ETS... which shows he's about opposing whatever the Government is doing. Considering the desperation Abbott was displaying to get the Independents after the 2010 election... I would guarantee there would be a true market mechanism on carbon... as opposed to the government paying the polluters to not do it (the Coalition's policy).

[Secretary Polnut]

http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-is-this-man-so-popular-and-how-long-can-it-last/

[Vote UKIP!]

Can I ask a cultural question?

In the United States, it is not unusual for a child to answer, if asked about what he wants to be when he grows up, that he wants to be president. Even with our general cynicism of politics, there are many past and present politicians we idolize.

Do children in Australia, maybe you for example, Polnut, ever aspire to become Prime Minister. To put it another way, is aspiring to political leadership, such as the premiership, something encouraged among Australia's young people?

[RogueBeaver]

As a Canuck I'm getting flashbacks to when Paul Martin was fired a decade ago. Not that the outcome will be the same, since Rudd controls neither machinery nor anything approaching a majority of caucus...

[Secretary Polnut]

Can I ask a cultural question?

In the United States, it is not unusual for a child to answer, if asked about what he wants to be when he grows up, that he wants to be president. Even with our general cynicism of politics, there are many past and present politicians we idolize.

Do children in Australia, maybe you for example, Polnut, ever aspire to become Prime Minister. To put it another way, is aspiring to political leadership, such as the premiership, something encouraged among Australia's young people?

No... well it's not "normal".

I did... but I wasn't normal.

We certainly don't put politicians on any kind of pedestal, doesn't mean we don't appreciate or like them... a few PMs have been genuinely liked, like Bob Hawke, even Rudd for a time - others are respected like Howard, Menzies, Curtin... but most happen to be the standard barer of the policies that have the most support.

We don't 'fetishise' the Premiership.

[Secretary Polnut]

With Kevin Rudd's resignation today and many of his comments... I would say it's almost certain he will challenge for the leadership on Monday/Tuesday next week.

[Secretary Polnut]

Gillard will tomorrow announce a leadership spill on Monday morning.

[Secretary Polnut]

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/labor-colleagues-sick-of-rudd-swan-20120222-1to9i.html

Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeesus Wayne.

This could backfire.

[Χahar]

What interests me is the poll on the bottom. Internet poll and all, but 82% think Rudd is doing the right thing.

[Secretary Polnut]

Which is the problem... the public like him... but don't know him - his colleagues know him, and hate him.

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

Well, I wish Gillard luck. This prick has no business being anywhere near the premiership.

[Smid]

Which is the problem... the public like him... but don't know him - his colleagues know him, and hate him.

The closer people get to him, the less they like him. I handed out HTV cards at the Woodridge by-election opposite him when he was a first term backbencher and found him to be an odious t***. Don't know if the word to fill the blank is allowable or not.

[Ebowed]

Which is the problem... the public like him... but don't know him - his colleagues know him, and hate him.

I hate to use anecdotal evidence, but I've got a friend whose mother worked for him and he was allegedly a highly abusive, profane, and unsympathetic boss.

[Secretary Polnut]

Which is the problem... the public like him... but don't know him - his colleagues know him, and hate him.

I hate to use anecdotal evidence, but I've got a friend whose mother worked for him and he was allegedly a highly abusive, profane, and unsympathetic boss.

It's fine when the anecdotal evidence matches up with a TON of it.

[Sibboleth]

Which is the problem... the public like him... but don't know him - his colleagues know him, and hate him.

The closer people get to him, the less they like him. I handed out HTV cards at the Woodridge by-election opposite him when he was a first term backbencher and found him to be an odious t***. Don't know if the word to fill the blank is allowable or not.

Pretty sure that 'twat' is fine here.

[Platypus]

I've also got anecdotal evidence, so to type, of Rudd being a twat and Gillard being a nice enough woman.

FWIW, Nicola Roxon is apparently the only cabinet minister more odious than Rudd.